TL;DR
Sustainable health strategy informs planning and infrastructure with public health, environmental health, and ecological health data. It is used to ensure that green building projects actually result in healthier communities.
What is sustainable health strategy?
Sustainable health strategy is used to inform planning and infrastructure projects with the goal of creating healthier communities. While green building codes are frequently used with the intent of healthier outcomes, the results are not always as impactful as intended. According to the US Green Building Council 2024 Impact Report, 29 billion total square feet of LEED-certified space has been built. However, according to a study of 74 LEED-certified projects in Austin, TX and 393 in Chicago, IL, there was no spatial correlation between the clusters of protective green building strategies to address extreme heat and flooding, and clusters of vulnerable populations. Clearly, there is a disconnect between our implementation of green building strategies and the needs of the surrounding communities. Sustainable health strategy helps bridge that gap by tying three aspects of health together.
Public Health
The first component of sustainable health strategy is public health – in other words, the health of the people in the community. To be effective, it is necessary to understand who lives in the community and if there are any especially vulnerable people. For instance, are there many elderly people? Are there many homeless people? It is also important to understand the health conditions the community is experiencing. For example, is there a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease or diabetes? Is mental health a struggle? Do people have enough to eat? Once this information is obtained, projects can be designed to directly address these needs.
Environmental Health
The second component has to do with the situation in which the community lives. What climate risks are they facing? Extreme heat will require a different response than wind events or flooding or vector-borne diseases. What sustainability issues is the community working on? For instance, are they looking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or plastic waste? It is also essential to consider the community’s social justice history. Long-standing historical inequities will impact the health of current residents. Projects will result in better health conditions when they target the specific environmental factors facing the community.
Ecological Health
The third component looks at the health of the surrounding ecosystem. How clean is the air and water? Is the soil healthy? Is there sufficient pollinator habitat? These are just some of the questions that can help paint a picture of the ecological health of the community. The healthier the ecosystem, the healthier the people. Projects can use green infrastructure methods to replenish the local ecosystem.
Sustainable Health Strategy
Compiling data on public health, environmental health, and ecological health gives a full picture of the health of a community. By addressing all three areas, a sustainable health strategy that is rooted in local data can be created and implemented. This ensures that planning and infrastructure projects lead to beneficial health outcomes for everyone.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash